TDP quits [pushed out of] Modi ministry

• Both Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary handed over their resignation letters to Modi on Mar 8, 2018. Reacting to the TDP’s decision, two of the BJP ministers in the AP government, have also handed in their resignations a day earlier.
• The ‘uneasy’ ties between the BJP and the TDP hurtled to the edge with both partners hardening their stances on the issue of SCS. FM Arun Jaitley’s statement on Mar 7, 2018, when he categorically ruled out SCS, with added sarcasm and awkward body language, had precipitated matters. In essence BJP has pushed TDP out of Modi's NDA ministry.
• Modi reportedly made a call to Chandrababu Naidu in the evening. The TDP chief had spoken his mind on how the Centre had reneged on its promise, his 29 visits to the national Capital and finally, the PM not taking attending to his call on Mar 7, 2018. Naidu also told Modi that the people of AP were seething over FM Arun Jaitley's insulting comments. Naidu had asked Modi to do something for AP "since he had the authority".
• Naidu declined Modi's suggestion to come over to Delhi for discussions maintaining that the irreversible process has started and there is nothing for him to discuss. It is for Modi to honor all promises made in parliament and implement provisions of AP Re-organisation Act quickly since 4 years had already elapsed. Failing which TDP may exit from NDA too, very soon.
• Naidu said that Jaitley's statement was insulting to the TDP. Naidu slammed the FM for saying "sentiments will not decide the quantum of funds". Naidu's decision was appreciated and supported by all non-BJP parties.
• One national party has deceived AP and other national party has cheated AP. It’s for the nation to understand which is one and two, YS Chowdary said. The beauty of democracy, he further said, was to bring unanimity and make everyone happy and this was the BJP's responsibility.
• Between 2015-17, while Naidu made 29 trips to Delhi, during 2018 he was not even granted appointment by Modi indicating deterioration of ties. "This is the first step. We will go ahead with other actions later," PTI quoted Naidu.
• "We are committed to giving monetary equivalent to SCS to Andhra Pradesh ..." is the sentence repeatedly said by FM Jaitley and other BJP leaders, during the past 4 years, but in reality very little help was extended to AP. They adapted all kinds of delaying tactics especially for Polavaram project and capital Amaravati.
• The Congress said "The parochial autocratic alliance led by Narendra Modi could never accept a divergence of opinions or plurality and the splintering of the NDA that you are seeing now is a reflection of that philosophy of the PM and the BJP. And it does not start or end here." They said TDP is the oldest ally of the NDA as Naidu used to be the convener of the NDA, and Naidu showed the courage of his conviction to call a spade a spade in speaking out when Modi was the CM of Gujarat.
• “You cannot run away from your responsibility by attacking us. The Congress party was completely routed from AP for hurting the sentiments of the people. If you continue to hurt our sentiments by denying SCS, which is our right, you will have to meet the same fate” Naidu said.
• Prior to resignations announcement, TDP leaders said the BJP had pushed them to a position where taking a “tough stand” was the only option left. Naidu said he will take a call on whether or not to remain in the NDA before the second leg of the budget session ends. 
• FM Arun Jaitley citing 14th Finance Commissions recommendations coming in the way of granting SCS to AP is totally false and misleading. Even its former chairman YV Reddy clarified this matter. There is no body which comes in the way of working of Parliament and Central Government within the frame work of constitution. Modi is the real culprit and villain. All others are just parrots.

Most central ministers are sympathetic towards the problems of AP ever since AP Re-organisation in 2014, it was Modi who was adamant in not extending necessary help to AP. All the ministers are just speaking his mind while he is maintaining silence. Modi has no respect for statutes, institutions & people and his propensity is to bend constitution, acts and rules to suit what ever he wants to do without following any kind of democratic process. His style has chilling similarity with Italy's fascist dictator Mussolini and his actions are with spectacles without any substance. While Modi is adamant by nature and has 16 year old grievances against Naidu, nothing will happen since BJP's LS numbers are comfortable. TDP exiting NDA is a certainty and that is good for AP too. But with all major parties ditching NDA, BJP saddled with all round failures of Modi will have uphill task in 2019 elections with Rahul Gandhi's graph rising day by day and UPA scams losing its charm. BJP ending up in opposition benches is not ruled out. If Rahul Gandhi becomes PM in 2019, the credit goes to Modi for achieving this impossible feat in 5 years which Sonia Gandhi couldn't do in her 10 year UPA regime.

The present crisis provides an opportunity to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu to resign and declare his solidarity with the people of his home state of AP. He has already been sidelined by Modi when nominated to VP's post last year. Having reached dead end of his political career, Venkaiah Naidu must rise above politics and become a "hero of a cause" emulating Kakani Venkataratnam in 1973.